1. THE GREAT DEPRESSION BEGINS Photos by photographer Dorothea Lange

2. FARMERS STRUGGLE No industry suffered as much as agriculture During World War I, European demand for American crops soared After the war, demand fell rapidly Farmers increased production, sending prices further downward Photo by Dorothea Lange

3. THE GREAT DEPRESSION The Great Depression is generally defined as the period from 1929 – 1941 The Stock Market crash signaled the beginning of the Great Depression The crash alone did not cause the Great Depression, but it made it happen faster Alabama family, 1938 Photo by Walter Evans

4. FINANCIAL COLLAPSE After the crash, many Americans panicked and withdrew their money from banks Banks had invested in the stock market and lost money In 1929- 600 banks failed By 1933 – 11,000 of the 25,000 banks nationwide had collapsed Bank run 1929, Los Angeles

5. UNEMPLOYMENT SOARS 90,000 businesses went bankrupt Unemployment skyrocketed from 3% in 1929 to 25% in 1933

6. HOOVER STRUGGLES WITH THE DEPRESSION After the stock market crash, President Hoover tried to reassure Americans He said, “Any lack of confidence in the economic future... Is foolish” He recommended business as usual Herbert Hoover

7. HOOVER’S PHILOSOPHY Hoover was not quick to react to the depression He believed People should take care of themselves, not depend on government hand-outs Hoover came under attack because many Americans believed that he did not fully grasp or care about how desperate the American people really were. He said people should “pull themselves up by their bootstraps”

8. HARDSHIPS DURING DEPRESSION The Great Depression brought hardship, homelessness, and hunger to millions Across the country, people lost their jobs, and their homes Some built makeshift shacks out of scrap material Before long, whole shantytowns (sometimes called “Hoovervilles” in mock reference to the president) sprung up

9. SOUP KITCHENS One of the common features of urban areas during the era were soup kitchens and bread lines Soup kitchens and bread lines offered free or low-cost food for people Unemployed men wait in line for food – this particular soup kitchen was sponsored by Al Capone

10. CONDITIONS FOR MINORITIES Conditions for African Americans and Latinos were especially difficult Unemployment was the highest among minorities and their pay was the lowest Increased violence (24 lynchings in 1933 alone) marred the 1930s Many Mexicans were “encouraged” to return to their homeland As conditions deteriorated, violence against blacks increased

11. RURAL LIFE DURING THE DEPRESSION While the Depression was difficult for everyone, farmers did have one advantage; they could grow food for their families Thousands of farmers, however, lost their land Many turned to tenant farming and barely scraped out a living Between 1929-1932 almost ½ million farmers lost their land

12. THE DUST BOWL A severe drought gripped the Great Plains in the early 1930s Wind scattered the topsoil, exposing sand and grit The resulting dust traveled hundreds of miles One storm in 1934 picked up millions of tons of dust from the Plains and carried it to the East Coast Kansas Farmer, 1933

14. Dust storm approaching Stratford, Texas - 1934

15. Storm approaching Elkhart, Kansas in 1937

16. Dust buried cars and wagons in South Dakota in 1936

17. HARDEST HIT REGIONS Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado were the hardest hit regions during the Dust Bowl Many farmers, known as Okies, migrated to California and other Pacific Coast states Boy covers his mouth to avoid dust, 1935

18. Photographer Dorothea Lange captures a family headed west to escape the dust storms

19. Okies lining up for jobs picking fruit in California

20. EFFECTS OF DEPRESSION Suicide rate rose more than 30% between 1928- 1932 Alcoholism rose sharply in urban areas Three times as many people were admitted to state mental hospitals as in normal times Additionally, many people developed habits of savings & thriftiness

21. HOOVER TAKES ACTION: TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE Hoover gradually softened his position on government intervention in the economy He created the Federal Farm Board to help farmers He also created the National Credit Organization that helped smaller banks His Federal Home Loan Bank Act and Reconstruction Finance Corp were two measures enacted to protect people’s homes and businesses Hoover’s flurry of activity came too late to save the economy or his job

22. BONUS ARMY A 1932 incident further damaged Hoover’s image That spring about 15,000 World War I vets arrived in Washington to support a proposed bill The bonus was scheduled to be paid in 1945 --- The Army vets wanted it NOW

23. BONUS MARCHERS CLASH WITH SOLDIERS Hoover told the Bonus marchers to go home– most did 2,000 refused to leave Hoover sent a force of 1,000 soldiers under the command of General Douglas MacArthur and his aide Dwight Eisenhower

24. AMERICANS SHOCKED AT TREATMENT OF WWI VETS MacArthur’s 12 th infantry gassed more than 1,000 marchers, including an 11-month old baby, who died Two vets were shot and scores injured Americans were outraged and once again, Hoover’s image suffered